Astor House Discussion and Legendary Luck

*Golden Eye Candy – Chris Davell – Settling Pond in Spring – click to enlarge*

COVID Updates

% of Jeffco residents (16+) who have received either one or both shots– source

Everyone 16 OR OLDER is eligible to get the vaccine.

Appointments to Get the COVID Vaccine
DICK’S SPORTING GOODS PARK AND THE BALL ARENA BOTH HAVE DRIVE-THROUGH/WALK-UP CLINICS WITH NO APPOINTMENTS NEEDED. Learn more…. See other upcoming walk-up clinics…. State of Colorado’s Find Out Where You Can Get Vaccinated page | Lutheran Medical Center | JCPH Clinic in Arvada (70+ only) | www.vaccinespotter.org/CO/ Jefferson County Public Health’s COVID-19 Vaccine Call Center: 303-239-7000 | State Hotline to answer questions, including location of vaccine providers: 1-877-268-2926. It is staffed 24 hours a day

Golden Testing Sites
Mines COVID Testing | Jeffco Fairgrounds COVID Testing

May Preview

For those of you who don’t check email over the weekend–Saturday’s post included the preview of May events. Highlights include Cinco de Mayo, the Kinney Run bird walk, the plant sale at Golden Community Garden, Mines graduation, electronics waste drop-off, Greener Golden, a steam-up with 3 stream trains running at the same time at the Railroad Museum, and opening day of the Splash.

Virtual Events

6-6:55AM Virtual Dynamic Circuit
8:30-9:30AM Virtual Power Training
10:15AM Spanish Story Time with the Library
11:40AM-12:30PM All Levels Yoga Virtual
2-3PM Active Minds Mondays-The Challenges of Mexico
4-4:30PM Kids Martial Arts Class
4-5PM Recursos Digitales
5-6PM Young Readers Book Club

*Proposed addition to the Astor House – click to enlarge*

6:30PM Historic Preservation Board Meeting
The Historic Preservation Board will be consider the request by Foothills Art Center to grant a “Certificate of Appropriateness” for their planned treatment of the Astor House. There are a few points that will require discussion.

Foothills Art Center and the Golden Civic Foundation both submitted proposals for the Astor House to the City. Foothills’ proposal was chosen, but this addition was not included in the proposal. Is it fair to change the plans so drastically after the proposal has been accepted?
The back yard of the Astor House is designated as a public park. Is the City authorized to allow a city park to be so reduced in size–or does that require a vote of the citizens?
The plan calls for the entire addition to be enveloped in a metal screen. Is this compatible with the 1867 Astor House, or anything else in the historic downtown?

To review the proposal, see tonight’s meeting packet. To see the comments submitted by the Astor House Alliance, a group of preservation-minded citizens who have been following the Astor House closely, see astorhouse.org.

Real World Events

10AM – Foss Market @ 13^th and Arapahoe

Golden History Moment

*Forks of Clear Creek – Denver Public Library Western History Collection – click to enlarge*

115 Years Ago
The May 3, 1906 Colorado Transcript tells a hair-raising tale of a railroad accident. The improbable sub-headline says Twelve People Injured, but Proverbial Luck of C. & S. Prevails, and None are Seriously Hurt.

Forks Creek was the station where trains coming up the canyon were split, so some of the cars headed north toward Central City and others headed south to Idaho Springs. The article begins by saying,

The lucky star of this division of the Colorado and Southern railway was again brought into prominence Monday, when two passenger coaches ran wild down a steep grade for a mile, escaping with the minimum damage to passengers and property.

It goes on to describe the passengers “…being whirled around short curves at breakneck speed.” On one side of the track was a 20 foot drop down to Clear Creek; on the other was a high mountain wall.

Chances were 20 to 1 that when the cars jumped the track they would go into the creek, but the legendary luck of the C. & S. willed it otherwise. After running a mile the cars jumped to the left, colliding with the mountain.

The railcar was a wreck, but the people inside escaped with cuts, bruises, sprains, and one broken arm. If this was a show of “legendary luck,” travel by rail in 1906 was not for the faint of heart!

The Golden Transcript (originally called the Colorado Transcript) has been publishing since 1866. The Golden History Museum has been working on digitizing the historic issues. You’ll find old Transcripts online at coloradohistoricnewspapers.org.